Research Final

Table of Contents
I. Introduction………………………………………………………………………..4
Background of the Study………………………………………………………4
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………...5
Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………..6
Significance of the Study………………………………………………………
7
Scope and Delimitation………………………………………………………..8
Definition of Terms……………………………………………………...…….9
Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………….10
II. Review of Related Literature and Studies………………………………………...11
Foreign Literature……………………………………………………………11
Local Literature………………………………………………………………12
Foreign Studies………………………………………………………………15
Local Studies…………………………………………………………………18
III. Methodology……………………………………………………………………..22
Research Design……………………………………………………………...22
Population and Sample……………………………………………………….22
Locale of the Study …………………………………………………….…….22
Sampling Procedure
………………………………………………………….22
Research Instrument …………………………………………………………23
Data Gathering Procedure……………………………………………………23
Data Analysis Procedure…...…………………………………………………
23
IV. References………………………………………………………………………..24
V. Appendices……………………………………………………………………….26
AWARENESS AMONG GRADE 11 STUDENTS OF PISQ ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Chapter I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter of the paper presents the problem and its setting. It includes the
background of the study, the statement of the problem, significance of the study, and scope
and delimitation of the study.
Background of the Study
With technology and modernity being the dominant drivers of the contemporary
world, the youths today are fortunate to be in a world of interconnection and easy access to
information. Unlike the era when telegraphs and newspapers and pamphlets were the only
available media of disseminating information, today’s technology have made information,
credible or not, available for everyone who seeks to learn more than what books and physical
texts could only limitedly offer. Nowadays, as contemporary issues become global headlines,
these kinds of information have become crucial for social awareness and civic engagement
among people for the sustenance and prosperity of society. However, instead of putting
oneself in the convenience of easy access to information, youths have only become
complacent around technology and have taken its capabilities for granted wherein they use it
rather for entertainment purposes and boasting self-confidence. Even though the youth are
granted the availability of technology, most have become less active in participating with
civic engagement and social awareness.
According to Rice & Galbraith (2008), the challenges, issues, and discussions of
today's society that have societal and global impact are referred to as contemporary issues.
These issues require readers to understand the topic in different perspectives and values as
these may be complicated in multifaceted. Politics, economics, social justice, health, the
environment, technology, and culture are just a few of the many fields and domains wherein
contemporary issues may develop. They have also stated that the accumulation of new
events, studies, and viewpoints over time make contemporary issues dynamic as these
frequently represent broader societal trends and transformations. However, in an article
published by the journal Social Problems in 2006, the author argues that contemporary issues
may indeed change according to the trends of changing social and technological conditions.
However, some may persist deeper, such as inequality and conflict, as these still continue to
exist in today’s society. The author, therefore, claims that the understanding of contemporary
issues requires the understanding of both change and continuity in social problems.
When understanding contemporary issues, it is also essential to consider the other
viewpoints of other groups of people. In the book Global Awareness and Perspectives in
Global Education by Burnouf (n.d.), the author claims that having a global perspective
involves recognizing and appreciating different cultures and their viewpoints on the world.
She also emphasizes the importance of the teachers’ role in assisting students in learning
open-mindedness and critical thinking for these issues.
Statement of the Problem
This study focused to analyze the awareness among Grade 11 students of Philippine
International School-Qatar on contemporary issues around the world. Specifically, this
research aimed to:
1. Identify the profile of the respondents in terms of:
a. Age
b. Academic Strand
2. Determine the level of awareness of the respondents on contemporary issues
across different global regions
3. Analyze the most effective approach of spreading awareness and teaching students
on contemporary issues.
4. Identify the students’ proficiency on their open-mindedness on culture, society,
and politics
5. Understand as to what extent does awareness on contemporary issues inspire
students to engage actively in civic matters.
Conceptual Framework
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Analyzing the Awareness of Processing Items: Inference on the awareness
Grade-11 Students of Student Awareness of the students on
Philippine International contemporary issues around
School-Qatar Algorithm: the world
 Input the surveyed
awareness level of
selected Grade-11
students
 Quantify the data
 Calculate the awareness
level
 Categorize and describe
the data according to
calculated results
As per from the illustration of our conceptual framework, the desired results from our study
can come to fruition once the input, which is the analysis on the awareness of Grade-11
students of Philippine International School-Qatar, can be processed. The input, however, can
be varied depending on the independent variables that may affect the data to be processed and
therefore have to be considered with the topic.
First, the average screen time of students. As students spend more time using digital
gadgets like laptops and phones, there is a high probability that they may have come across a
news feed regarding different contemporary issues through social media apps. In effect, the
dependent variable becomes their exposure to learning more issues or less which may yield
different data for processing, depending on their screen time.
Second, the maturity of the students. Since contemporary issues can have different
opinions and perspectives attached, students too may also have varying opinions on the
subject depending on their understanding of it and their open-mindedness approach. In effect,
the dependent variable becomes their ability to analyze these issues based on their level of
comprehension and open-mindedness which may affect how the respondents may perceive
the nature of it.
Third, the learning approaches on understanding culture, society, and politics upon
students. May it be that the strand of the student respondents would be either STEM or
HUMSS, how and what they are taught can affect their level of thinking on certain
contemporary issues which would also affect how they perceive such subjects. In effect, the
dependent variable becomes their exposure to learning the issues and their ability to analyze
such subjects based on their comprehension and open-mindedness.
Lastly, the strand of the students – either HUMMS or STEM. Although both the
HUMSS and STEM strands have lessons on Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics as
their core subjects, both have different teaching approaches. While STEM is focused on hard
sciences such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and the like, HUMSS is focused on soft
sciences such as Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and the like. In effect, the
dependent variable, just like the average screen time, is their exposure to learning more issues
or less which may yield different data for processing, depending on their screen time.
As researchers, we would not alter or modify the independent variables as the true and
unbiased data will be crucial for processing these in order to formulate an ethical output. In
the processing stage, the data gathered from the survey will be quantified in percentages and
statistics in order to calculate the awareness of each respondent and the general sample
population. Once the calculations have been made, the data can be accurately categorized and
described as to conclude the outcomes of the study. This would lead to our inference from the
study which would answer our question on the awareness of Grade-11 students of Philippine
International School-Qatar on contemporary issues.
Significance of the Study
Since this study focused on the awareness of Grade 11 respondents on contemporary
issues around the world, it aimed to cater the information among those that wish to expand
their knowledge within this field of study.
Likewise, this study will be beneficial for the following:
1. For Students – this research can be beneficial for students for it can enhance their
views on other groups of people through cultural relativism. Additionally, this
research can help them improve their judgements and have an open mind when
balancing opinions.
2. For Teachers – this research can be beneficial for teachers for it can give them an
idea on what certain information are students unaware of and assist them to be
interested in global affairs and understand these topics with open-mindedness and
critical thinking. They may also teach students on coping with contemporary
issues that may also affect them.
3. For Parents – this research can be beneficial for parents for it can help them
identify the knowledge on society that students may lack. Just as what they had
experienced with society, parents can teach their children the cautions of a society
that will be inherited upon them.
4. For Scientists – this study can be beneficial for scientists, such as anthropologists,
sociologists, political scientists, for it can provide them further insights on how
humans take technology for granted. It can also help them discover how students
can be influenced by technology to side with different views.
5. For Society – this study can be beneficial to society for it can provide the
inhabitants insight on how oblivious students may be and help them prepare to
care or improve society when they reach their adulthood, especially in a
community where they will be affected.
6. For Future Researchers – this study can be beneficial to future researchers for it
can help them in their own studies and identify elements that could contribute to
their holistic topic.
Scope and Delimitation
This study not only aimed to analyze the awareness of Grade 11 students of Philippine
International School-Qatar on contemporary issues around the world but also certain
indicators, such as the students’ maturity towards the issues and the learning techniques
through which they become aware of these issues, that would be crucial for the interpretation
of data for answering whether if the students are aware of these global issues. Furthermore,
the researcher’s aim is to not only test the students’ awareness on contemporary issues around
the world but also to provide insight on how global issues affect the Philippines, determine
the characters of a good citizen, and enhance cultural relativism among students. However,
this study is limited to only 12 respondents as a sample population from all Grade 11 students
of Philippine International School-Qatar which limits the ability of the research to precisely
conclude a generalized idea for the whole population. Additionally, this study focused solely
on the awareness of Grade 11 students of Philippine International School-Qatar on
contemporary issues around the world and will not tackle other subjects such as the cause and
effects of the issues, the explanation on government actions towards these issues, and the
like.
Definition of Terms
Since this study focused on a qualitative approach, it aimed to enhance the vocabulary
of the readers in order to give them an easier understanding of the research.
This study will define the following:
 Contemporary Issues - refer to current events, trends, and challenges that have
significant relevance and impact on society at present.
 Anthropology – a branch of social science that studies how people and their cultures
have changed over time and space. It is the investigation of human societies
and cultures, their growth, and the various ways in which individuals engage
with one another and their surroundings.
 Sociology – a branch of social science that investigates social interactions and human
society. Its primary emphasis is the methodical examination of social
interactions, relationships, and institutions, such as families, groups, and
communities.
 Political Science - the study of politics. It is a social science that studies political
institutions, political thought, political behavior, and related constitutions and
laws, as well as systems of governance and power.
 Civic Engagement - involves groups of individuals coming together or working

independently to advance political or non-political goals such as preserving
public values or bringing about change in the community.
 Activism - attempts to influence social, political, economic, or environmental reform

in order to change society for what is thought to be the greater good.
Ethical Considerations
This study aims to answer the research problem while also maintaining impeccable
standards of professionalism and ethics towards the topic and the participants involved.
Likewise, this study will perform this research within certain conducts:
1. Uphold confidentiality, privacy, and anonymity on personal information of the
research participants.
2. Provide research participants concise details on the concept and background of the
study while avoiding unjustifiable deception.
3. Provide research participants complete freedom on their personal decisions on the
conduct of this study. This shall include accurate
4. Protection of research participants against any forms of harm – psychological,
physical, and social.
5. Wariness on proper wordings and connotations that may be seen as offensive towards
certain people of varying age, culture, and ethnicity.
6. Avoid plagiarism and false information and verify the validity of cited sources.
Chapter II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Foreign Literature
Contemporary issues in the global stage simultaneously made headlines everyday as
different nations attempted to solve or cope with these problems. These issues had their
implications, applicability, and significance according to different events, ideas, opinions or
topic in a given subject that were relevant to the present day (Albert, 2022). However, the
relevance of contemporary issues varied between worldwide and local scenarios. Albert
(2022) stated that if world politics were discussed, contemporary issues would be Syria,
monitoring North Korea or Iran, and handling Russia and its antics. In a more localized
context, US politics contemporary issues, for example, would instead be border issues and
illegal immigration, Former President Trump, and even the confirmation of a Supreme Court
nominee.
As such, understanding the culture, society, and politics of different countries was
necessary when identifying the root cause and relevance of these issues. Determining the
different concepts such as the group of people in the area and their culture, how their society
functions, and the politics constituted were important when confronting these issues with
open-mindedness and considered both sides of any attached arguments.
One of the important concepts that was essential in understanding contemporary
issues was anthropology. Other than a science of analyzing human origins and evolution,
anthropology dealt with examining the diversities between different groups of people and the
social existence between each group. According to Hassan (2022), anthropology, in general,
was the study of human beings and their societies from the past and in the present. It helped
in determining what it meant to be “human” other than physical appearance and was an
important field of study in understanding human culture and its relevance on the world. It
also assisted in observing the common things among people and at the same time discovered
new knowledge on what made people unique. Conversely, culture was diverse as it is the
cumulative deposit of characteristics. Such characteristics that defined a group of people
included the language, knowledge, traditions, techniques, tools, and others.
Anthropology had four subfields that contributed to the study of the science namely
biological or physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and
archeology. Biological or physical anthropology was the study of human diversity, biology,
and evolution; cultural anthropology was the study of human culture; linguistics was the
study of human experience through language; and archeology was the study of human
behavior through artifacts left behind (Zunner-Keating, et al., n.d.). These four subfields were
able to determine how humans have thrived in prehistoric times and helped discover past
lessons that previous civilizations committed for the development of today’s society.
Another important concept was sociology. It was the study of human social
relationships and institutions which encompassed a diverse range of subjects from crime to
religion, from family to the state, from racial background and social class to a shared belief or
culture, and from social stability to radical change in a whole society (University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d.). It helped in identifying the nature of human society and taught
the appreciation towards social institutions. Furthermore, sociology had its own set of
subfields that were more diverse and specific compared to anthropology.
The last concept for understanding culture, society, and politics was political science.
According to the University of Washington (n.d.), it focused on the theories and practices in
government and politics. Such political activities include political thinking, political
behavior, government system, constitutions, laws, and others (Bay Atlantic University, 2021).
Political Science helped in teaching the characteristics of a being a responsible citizen,
identify and maintain the social order among different groups of people, and keep peace and
security among societies.
Local Literature
Qatar had its share in contemporary issues. For instance, the country had faced a set
of blockades from neighboring countries in response to suspicions that it funded terrorist
groups, close relationships with Iran, and meddling with internal affairs of other nations. In
an article written by Chughtai (2020), it presented an overview of the news on the blockade
imposed on Qatar in 2017 by the countries Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United
Arab Emirates. It identified the key reasons behind the blockade, its impacts on Qatar and the
region, and Qatar’s efforts to address the blockade and offered an examination of the
economic, political, and social repercussions of the blockade in Qatar. It also explored
Qatar’s diplomatic attempt to break the blockade, including its outreach to countries like the
US, Turkey, and Iran. Overall, this article provided a thorough and educational view and
gives the readers a clear knowledge and understanding of this contemporary issue in Qatar.
According to AL Sharif (2021) of Doha News, there are also other contemporary
issues that concern the country, challenges that will be met by the first elected Shura council
of Qatar. Climate change and other environmental issues, being one of the top priorities, were
one of the challenges that the new council must meet with regulations and related laws that
will promote sustainability and scientific research, as stated by the Director of the
Environmental Director of the Environmental and Municipal Studies Center at the Ministry
of Municipality and Environment Dr. Mohamed Saif al-Kuwari. The director noted that new
council carries a vital position in ensuring the country’s plan with curbing climate change.
The new council was also needed with legislating efforts that included necessary suggestions
in order to preserve local land and marine environment, both of which played a vital role in
the country’s ecosystem and environmental culture. And despite the statistics of global
warming, Qatar had been working actively to improve the conditions throughout the years.
Electoral law also became an issue in the country when some members of Qatar’s society
questioned or criticized candidacy and voting requirements. With one of the requirements
being that the voters were a native Qatari, this spurred objection as it was described as
“discriminatory” against other members in society who were not natives. This led to a
nationality debate in Qatar, with members of some tribes feeling excluded from participating
in the elections and carrying out their civic duties. However, some members of those tribes
had made it to the final list of the Shura Council election candidates. As it still remained,
these stipulations were constituted and such laws can only be changed by the Shura council.
Another issue was the rights and freedoms of Women in Qatar. With women of different
races situated in the country, various campaigns had focused their efforts on improving the
lives of widowers and divorced women which pushed the council to consider the broader
scope of women’s rights.
As one of the 4 pillars of the Qatar 2030 vision, environmental development was a
goal of the country. While the country was gifted with availability to resources of oil and
natural gas, their development had led to an increasing rise in air pollution in the country.
According to Scott (2014) of Doha News, the World Health Organization suggested that
Doha had one of the worst air qualities in the world. Doha News stated that many factors play
in the rise of air pollutants in the country such as the sand and dust from manufacturing
industry, rising construction projects, and increasing traffic congestion. However, the country
had taken measures to combat its internal pollution. According to Bukhari & Ataullah (2021),
Qatar had constituted the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change while environment
was previously part of the Ministry of Municipality which showed the level of commitment
of the State attached to solve environmental issues. Under these laws, state institutions would
take steps to address each form of pollution with the involvement in the community a key
process through a number of awareness campaigns. One such initiative in which the country
promoted its cause on the sustainability of the environment was the “Plant Million Trees”
initiative which was launched in 2019 with a record of 600,000 trees that were planted.
Social development was also one of the 4 pillars of the Qatar 2030 vision. However,
an issue that the country faced was the crisis on migrant workers during the onset of
preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022. The website of Amnesty International provided
an overview of current events in Qatar and highlighted various human rights issues such as
labor exploitation, restrictions on freedom of expression and association, discrimination
against migrant workers, and inadequate protection of refugees and asylum seekers. Amnesty
International reports shed light on the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, including the
kafala system, which linked workers to their employers and led to abuse and exploitation. It
also reported the restrictions on freedom of expression and association, with limited space for
dissent and criticism. Discrimination against migrant workers, especially those from poor
countries, was another common problem, including unequal pay, poor working conditions,
and limited access to legal protection. It also showed the challenges that refugees and asylum
seekers face in Qatar. Issues such as lack of legal aid, limited protection, and inadequate
living conditions were highlighted. The reports emphasized the need to reform labor laws,
improve freedom of expression and association, and improve protection of vulnerable
populations.
Foreign Studies
In addition to tackling contemporary issues through educational approaches, activism
and volunteerism and other forms of civic engagement were seen as approaches to determine
the awareness of students on contemporary issues.
According to the study “Personality and Motivational Antecedents of Activism and
Civic Engagement” (Omoto et al, 2010), it was able to conceptually link theory and research
on volunteerism and civic engagement in different forms. Multiple perspectives and measures
were taken into accounts as antecedents of volunteerism, activism, and civic engagement
were outlined, including individual differences in motivations, interpersonal orientations, and
traits. For instance, it argued that other-focused motivation performed better in predicting
AIDS activism and civic engagement compared to self-focused motivation. The only measure
of interpersonal orientation consistently related to these outcomes was communal orientation;
as well, only the trait of extraversion was related to both outcomes. In analyses testing the
predictive power of constellations of personality measures, other-focused motivation better
predicted AIDS activism and civic engagement than the other measures of motivation,
interpersonal orientation, and traits. Finally, meditational analyses supported a developmental
sequence in which other-focused motivation leads to specific activism, which, in turn,
encourages broader civic engagement. The discussion focuses on theoretical implications for
understanding the impact of personality on different forms of citizenship behaviors and of the
applicability of the Volunteer Process Model for studying political activity and civic
engagement.
In another research titled “Generalized Trust Through Civic Engagement? Evidence
from Five National Panel Studies” (Ingen & Bekkers, 2013), civic engagement was suggested
to produce generalized trust among citizens. The researchers tested this theory by examining
the causal connection between civic engagement and generalized trust using multiple
methods and multiple (prospective) panel datasets in which they discovered that participants
were more trusting. They added that this was most likely caused by selection effects: the
causal effects of civic engagement on trust were very small or nonsignificant. In the cases
where small causal effects were found, they turned out not to last.
The Generation Z, the current generation, were born to a convenient era when
technology had woven the world together socially and information can be given with just the
fingertips. This allowed them to absorb awareness in quick time as relevant information was
displayed in social media platforms where individuals were free to express their ideas and
raise their concerns on certain contemporary issues. In a study titled “Civic Engagement in
the Digital Age” (Smith, 2013, p. 2), it examined online and official political engagement and
paid special attention to the role of social networking sites in people’s political activities. The
study found that class differences, especially those related to educational attainment, were
prominent in political engagement of all kinds, whether that activity took place offline,
online, or within the specific context of social networking sites (SNS). Moreover, the study
recorded a growth in political activity on social networking sites between 2008 to 2012. The
growth was recorded from 33% during 2008 to 69% during 2012 in which there have been
major jumps in the proportion of SNS users who posted political news, who followed
candidates, and who joined an SNS group organized around political or social issues. The
notable shares of SNS users said their activity on the sites prompted them to learn social or
political issues and formulate solutions around these.
Studies were also conducted to assess the levels of civic engagement among the
youth, especially during a digital age. Such was the study “Rethinking Civic Engagement”
(Hope, 2022, pp. 7-8) which assessed the participation of young adults in politics and the
community. The chapter was separated into three categories: Conversations, Charity, and
Neighborly Engagement; Civic Engagement in the Political Sphere; and Extra-parliamentary
Civic Engagement. In the first category, 61.2% of young people participated in discussing
political, societal, or local issues with family and friends. Young people also discussed these
issues with their neighbors and through social media platforms, 22.1% and 14.6%
respectively. On the other hand, young adults involved themselves in volunteering and
charity as a part of their civic engagement. In 2018, the percentage of young people from
ages 16-29 who had volunteered at their own, at school, or with an organization within the
past 12 months was recorded to be 30.3% with 20.6% of them claiming that they had done
positive impacts on the neighborhood and community. In the second category, it described
that young people were deeply within the scope of formal politics or participatory citizenship.
The research pointed out that 50% of young people from ages 18-29 voted in the 2020
presidential election which was an increase from the 39% in 2016 (as cited in CIRCLE,
2020). The study had also reported that political donations were demonstrated by young
people as a form of political engagement. During the 2018 midterm election cycle, the
percentage of young people from ages of 18-24 that donated to a midterm election campaign
was recorded at 8% which matched the donation rate for the 2016 presidential election cycle
(as cited in CIRCLE, 2019). And beyond voting or political donations, the CIRCLE (n.d.)
stated that 11.2% of people also participated in political engagement through expressing an
opinion to a public official. They had also involved themselves in traditional political
campaigns. During the 2018 midterm election, 7% of young people from ages of 18-24 was
reported to have volunteered for a political campaign. Lastly, in the third category, the study
observed that young people had engaged themselves in a variety of activities that helped
society to address the growing and dynamic needs of its citizens. This type of civic
engagement included protesting, demonstrating, boycotting, and among other actions and
with the events of today, young adults were more likely to volunteer in protests and
demonstrations compared older adults. For instance, throughout the 2,400 distinct locations in
the United States, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement was mostly a non-violent
demonstration in which more than 93% of all the demonstrations connected to the movement
had not engaged in destructive or violent actions (as cited in ACLED, 2020, p. 5). Young
people had also told that the use of social media was a key instrument to learn, promote, and
spread civic action towards others. Indeed, the share of young people from ages of 18-29 said
that social media platforms were important to them for finding people who shared similar
views on important issues, in which this number had risen from 47% in 2018 to 59% in 2020.
There was also an increase in younger users utilizing social media when getting involved in
political or social issues and having an available medium for expressing their opinions. (As
cited in Auxier, 2020).
Other than politics, young people of the Generation Z had also used social media to
address other notable concerns. One such issue was climate change and youths had engaged
themselves digitally through social media in order to spread awareness and activism on this
issue. In a research titled “Gen Z, Millennials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social
Media Engagement with Issue” (Tyson, Kennedy, & Funk, 2021), it observed that younger
activist had become the frontline of the climate debate with popular figures like Greta
Thunberg and the Sunrise Movement—a youth-led political organization urging increased
attention to climate change—being among the most vocal in leading the activism on this
global issue. Compared with older adults, Gen Z youths and Millennials were addressing
more about the need for action on climate change and online content on climate change filled
their recommendations and prompted them to involve themselves on the issue through many
forms of civic engagement. The study had also analyzed the numbers in which 32% of the
Gen Z youths and 28% of Millennials had participated in civic engagement to address climate
change such as financial donations, reaching out to public officials, volunteering, and joining
rallies. Conversely, this was larger compared to the records of previous generations such as
the Gen X and Baby Boomer and older adults with 23% and 21% respectively. In a survey
that the research team conducted, it highlighted that Gen Z youths were more anxious about
the future with 69% claiming that they felt anxiety when they saw content addressing climate
change with Millennials at a smaller 59%, both of which still larger in comparison to the Gen
X (46%) and Baby Boomers and older adults (41%).
Local Studies
In Qatar, civic engagement brought upon certain effects. In a study titled “Donating
Time or Money? The Effects of Religiosity and Social Capital on Civic Engagement in
Qatar” (Diop, Johnston, Le, & Li, 2017), the study described social capital, religious beliefs
and democracy having an interrelation towards a significant impact on civic engagement, as
shown by several studies conducted in different contexts around the world. Research had
shown that higher levels of social capital, which refers to the networks, norms, and trust that
facilitate cooperation between individuals and groups, were associated with increased civic
engagement, such as participation in community activities, volunteering, and political
participation. However, the relationship between social capital and civic engagement were
shaped by unique factors in certain contexts, such as Qatar, which is known for its
dependence on natural resources and limited citizen participation in governance. In such
cases, the challenges posed by the landowning state model, where the government relied
heavily on oil or other external sources of revenue, affected social capital and civic
engagement dynamics in complex ways.
Religion greatly influenced civic activities. For example, mosque attendance and
religiosity were found to influence political integration among American Muslims, with
stronger religious commitment being associated with higher levels of political participation,
such as voting and political activism. In addition, it was found that there were cross-national
patterns in the relationship between national social spending and religiosity, and countries
with higher levels of religiosity often had lower public sector social spending. This finding
raised the possibility that people's religious beliefs and practices influenced people's
dependence on government. Factors such as mosque attendance and group consciousness
influenced American Muslim political engagement and participation. Studies have shown that
mosque attendance and commitment to religious institutions influenced political participation
among American Muslims, and that those who attended mosques were more likely to
participate in politics, such as voting and joining political organizations.
On the other hand. in a research conducted by Alkahlout (2021), it summarized its
thesis in which it focused on the lived experience of Muslims in Qatar that provided a
window onto the motivations and actions of individual zakāt-givers and their relationship
with religion and wider society. Surveys were disseminated among the research participants
(both Qatari citizens and residents) and it revealed how the practice of zakāt was shaped by
religious motivations, tribalism, different cultural backgrounds, Muslim scholars’
interpretations, governmental and non-governmental charitable organizations’ behavior, and
political intervention. It determined that the decision-making of Qatari zakāt-givers was
influenced by their relationship with their god, Allah, their self-evaluation, and their
consideration of society as a whole. While the case study mainly answers the status of zakāt
among Muslims in the modern world and how society played a role and is intuitively affected
by the practice, it helped identify the encroaching and invasive effects that contemporary
issues held on ordinary people and their daily life.
In a research titled “Is nationalizing universalizing and/or vice-versa?” (Gissis, 2022),
the review examined the complex relationship between biology, nationalism, and
sociocultural classifications of Middle Eastern people, as seen in two books published in
2021. The first book, Genetic Crossroads: The Middle East and the Science of Human
Heredity, by Elise K. Burton, published by Stanford University Press, provided a historical
perspective on genetics and the interweaving of nationalism in the Middle East from World
War I to World War II. Another book, Genomic Citizenship: The Molecularization of
Identity in the Contemporary Middle East, by Ian McGonigle and published by The MIT
Press, focused on the use of biology in nationalization projects in the region, and on the
tensions between specialization and projects. universal statements of biology. Both books
explored how issues of human categorization in biology, such as race, ethnicity, descent,
language, and religion, intersect with nationalist projects in the Middle East. They showed
how these socio-cultural classifications were used to shape national identity, politics and
ideology in the region, influencing social, cultural and political dynamics. The books
highlighted the complexities and contradictions of using biological categories to understand
human heredity and genetics in the Middle East, challenging simplistic and reductionist
approaches that often fail to capture the nuances of the region's history and socio-cultural
diversity.
Another study, conducted by Fadlelmula (2020), highlighted the importance of
awareness among students and the role as to becoming active citizens. The book was a
collection of research studies conducted by undergraduate students at Qatar University, on a
variety of civic issues in Qatar. Moreover, the collected data stated that students who worked
in small groups and examined different issues related to the Qatari community increased their
awareness of societal problems, highlighted their role as active citizens and prepared them for
a responsible life.
As contemporary issues are inevitable present in the functions of Qatari society, all
people are therefore affected in one way or another, and students are included. In one
instance, a study (Ali, et al., 2022) focused on the comparison on the perspectives on
education within immigrants, specifically in comparison between the children of Qatari
natives and the children of immigrants. The study was based on the concepts of “migrant
optimism”, which described the ambitions and socioeconomic lifestyles of immigrants, in
order to identify whether a gap in educational expectations and achievement exists between
immigrant and native students in Qatar and explored whether the impact of educational
expectations on educational achievement was contingent upon the migratory status of
students. In the context of Qatar, the country was defined as high-income rentier state which
meant that it had a different social contract when compared with other liberal democracies.
Many scholars believed that generous economic returns from the country’s oil profits were to
be expected from Qatari citizens in return for their political loyalty (as cited in Beblawi &
Luciani, 1987). This implied that there is a guaranteed support for public sector employment.
(As cited in Beblawi & Luciani, 1987). Undoubtedly, this economic entitlement may had
discouraged young Qatari citizens to pursue long-term academic achievements and
expectations (as cited in Al-Misnad, 2012). This may had contributed to an issue in the
country where there existed a difference between the perceived future opportunities between
immigrants and natives. Natives believed that their future was secured by government
support while immigrant students, who came from less developed countries, relied on
education success for a guaranteed future. Such mindset might had explained as to why
immigrant students performed well compared to Qatari students in the country (as cited in
Cheema, 2014).
Synthesis
When determining contemporary issues, it was essential to first understand the
culture, society, and politics of a certain country for this gave a background context to the
origin and effects of these issues. These issues varied from country to country in which
governments had different approaches for legislating ang applying solutions. Furthermore,
many factors were connected to these issues wherein some aspects were rooted deeply in the
usual life of an individual in society. However, the efforts of every member, especially the
youth, in being aware of these issues and involving themselves in civic engagement were
needed to combat these problems from growing and causing bedlam in a society. With the
utilization of technology, these forms of activism and volunteerism helped spread awareness
and vocalized a need to address contemporary issues. A major distinction of this study from
previous studies was that it focused to analyze if youths in certain communities had still or
yet to achieve this level of awareness and if the need for civic engagement was a priority in
their daily lives, since this study solely analyzed a sample population of a certain school.
Chapter III
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness of Grade 11 students at the
Philippine-International School-Qatar of contemporary issues worldwide. Specifically, the
study aims to distinguish and analyze the responses of students from the HUMSS and STEM
strands to determine the differences in their perspectives.
Population and Sample
The participants of this study will solely be Grade 11 students of the senior high
school department of the school Philippine-International School-Qatar of the S.Y 2022-2023.
The student’s strand will be taken into account to distinguish and to analyze the responses of
the HUMSS and STEM strand regarding the differences of their responses to one another of
their awareness of contemporary issues all over the world.
Locale of the Study
The Philippine International School-Qatar, a school in Qatar, is the locale of the study
in this research proposal, and the study's main focus is on the awareness of Grade 11 students
of current issues around the world.
Sampling Procedure
The sample for this research study consists of Grade 11 students from the HUMSS
and STEM strands of the Philippine-International School-Qatar in the S.Y 2022-2023. The
sampling technique used is simple random sampling, which involves dividing the whole
batch of grade 11 students into two strata based on their respective strands (HUMSS and
STEM). Within each stratum, a specific number of participants (50 from HUMSS and 50
from STEM) will be selected randomly. Simple random sampling is a useful technique for
this study as it ensures that there will be an equal number of selected participants between the
two strands and that there will be no bias in the number of students that will be selected per
strand.
Research Instrument
The research instrument in this study is a survey or questionnaire created through
Google Forms. The survey will be used to gather qualitative data from the 100 selected
participants among the grade 11 students. The survey will focus on the perspective of the
participants and will analyze the data to determine their overall awareness of current
contemporary issues worldwide. The survey link will be disclosed and sent to the selected
participants through their designated emails or social media platforms. The data will be
automatically collected and stored in a Google Sheets spreadsheet. The data analysis process
will involve the use of descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, data visualization, and
interpretation.
Data Gathering Procedure
The data gathering procedure for this study will involve the creation of a survey or
questionnaire through Google Forms to gather qualitative data from the 100 selected
participants among the grade 11 students. The survey or questionnaire will be mainly focused
on the perspective of the participants and will analyze the data to determine their overall
awareness of current contemporary issues worldwide. The survey link will be disclosed and
sent to the selected participants through their designated emails or social media platforms
where they are active, such as Messenger, Instagram, and Gmail. Once responses are
submitted, the data will be automatically collected and stored in a Google Sheets spreadsheet.
The main focus of this is to assess the awareness of grade 11 students of worldwide
contemporary issues. Therefore, qualitative research will be conducted to meet the demands
of the study and the goal of this research.
Data Analysis Procedure
The data of the responses will be examined to look for errors and inconsistencies with
their previous answers as the possibility of data inconsistency is not to be disregarded. The
data will then be gathered and summarized with the use of descriptive statistics, and any
notable differences or relationships between variables of HUMSS and STEM students will be
identified using inferential statistics. The use of graphs and charts, specifically statistical
graphs and charts such as bar and pie charts, will help us differentiate and perceive the
individual responses of the 100 participants. The results will then be examined in order to
make judgments regarding the grade 11 students at the Philippine International School-
Qatar's familiarity with current events. The data analysis process typically combines
descriptive and inferential statistics, content analysis, data visualization, and interpretation in
order to draw conclusions about the study.
References
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data-for-summer-2020/
Ali, J., Alsakhe, H., Ibrahim, I., Khattab, N., Madeeha, M., & Shouia, M. (2022). Accounting
for educational expectations and achievement among native and migrant students in
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Alkahlout, O. (2021). Theological and Sociological Aspects of the Practice of Zakāt .
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and Implications. From MEI@75: https://www.mei.edu/publications/dearth-qatari-
men-higher-education-reasons-and-implications
AlSharif, F. (2021, October 1). What are the most pressing social issues for Qatar’s
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pressing-social-issues-for-qatars-incoming-shura-council/
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https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/05/12/2021/protecting-the-environment-
protecting-the-planet
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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11159-015-9479-8
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Appendices
SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Respondents,
We are voluntarily conducting a research on “Analyzing the Awareness of Grade-11

Students of Philippine International School-Qatar on Contemporary Worlds Around the
World." We are requesting you to be part of the research by providing your thoughts and
opinions on the questionnaires attached below.
Your participation will truly be a great help in the overview of the study. Please be
assured that your answers will be highly appreciated and the information given will be kept
confidential.
Thank you very much!
I. Profile
Name:
Please tick the box that corresponds to you.

Age:
15
16
17
18 and above
Grade & Section:

11-HUMSS A
11-HUMSS B
11-STEM A
11-STEM B
11-STEM C
12-HUMSS A
12-STEM A
12-STEM B
12-STEM C
12-STEM D
II. Public awareness and news on current events
Please tick the corresponding box on how often you are informed on current news:
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
III. Medium for public awareness and news on current events
Please tick the corresponding box on how you gain public awareness and news:
Families and Friends
School
Religion
Social Media
Radios and TVs
Newspapers
Others: (specify)
IV. Perceptions on contemporary issues
On a scale of 1 to 5, choose the appropriate box the best describes your awareness on each
issue:
1 2 3 4 5
The passing of Queen

Elizabeth II
The Microchip War

between the US and China
The Situation of Uyghur

Muslims in Xinjiang
The Immigrant Crisis in

Europe
Migrant crisis in Qatar
PUV modernization in the

Philippines
Southeast Asian sea

conflict
The assassination of Saudi

journalist Jamal Khashoggi
The events of the Turkish-

Syrian earthquake
The arrest of Former US

Pres. Trump

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Table of Contents

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Civic Engagement - involves groups of individuals coming together or working

 Activism - attempts to influence social, political, economic, or environmental reform

We are voluntarily conducting a research on “Analyzing the Awareness of Grade-11

Please tick the box that corresponds to you.

Grade & Section:

II. Public awareness and news on current events

III. Medium for public awareness and news on current events

Families and Friends

Radios and TVs

IV. Perceptions on contemporary issues

The passing of Queen

The Microchip War

The Situation of Uyghur

The Immigrant Crisis in

Migrant crisis in Qatar

PUV modernization in the

Southeast Asian sea

The assassination of Saudi

The events of the Turkish-

The arrest of Former US

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